christopher Ellington
Game and Narrative Design
Unreal Development Kit
VFS Projects
Level Design
Overview
The Vancouver Film School Game Design Program included a Level Design class where students were asked to create several types of First Person Shooter levels using the Unreal Development Kit. The three assignments shown here are two single-player levels and a death-match area that I made over the course of the class.
This video shows highlights from these three assignments. All assets and content were native to UDK's content library and available features/functionality. The exception is the "alien structure" from single-player levels 1 and 2. I modeled this with UDK's BSP geometry tool, and added a metal shader. Enjoy!
Single Player Level #1
The Martian Incident
This level uses an open design and branching paths to allow the player to explore the area freely. The player, after crash-landing on Mars, explores and activates an ancient alien device while battling hostile robot sentries.
The player can follow one of two paths to deactivate a huge energy shield. Behind the shield is a large alien structure. The player explores the structure's three towers; activating them one by one. Once lit, the three towers raise a central platform. On that platform, the player must fight and defeat an ancient guardian. The level ends when the alien device activates and the player is enveloped in a flash of light.
Single Player Level #2
Trouble on Triton
This level acts as a sort of sequel to the previous one. It follows a linear design that switches between platforming and combat challenges. The player has been transported to Neptune's moon, Triton, and must navigate past robot sentries and ammonia geysers on the way to an abandoned ship and its promise of freedom.
The level begins on the central platform of an alien device identical to the one encountered in the previous level. The escape ship, the level's final goal, is held atop a high landing platform. The platform is guarded by four rocket turrets, and numerous platforming and combat hazards stand in the way.
Death Match
This multiplayer level contains a three-story central core and a two-story outer area. Players must run to through the exposed platforms of the central core to get key weapons such as the rocket launcher. This presents a risk vs. reward choice to players who want a winning edge. Tight spaces and open circulation encourage fast-paced action, short lives, and an intense death match experience.
The level is designed with movement in mind. Stairways on the corners of the outer area connect the two levels, but secret elevators present another option for clever players. The three central core platforms can be accessed via walkways that let players run through to get weapons and power-ups. Destructible statues in the outer levels slow down circulation to encourage intense fire-fights.